Chocolate Chip
by TheMainSlayer
Summary: PostNot Fade Away fanfiction Buffy & Angel reunite after she is finally done baking.


Chocolate Chip

Author: Michelle  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Post-Not Fade Away fanfiction; Buffy & Angel reunite after she is finally done baking.  
Disclaimer: Own nothing; Joss owns everything

--

26 year old Buffy Summers sat on the chair across from Faith. Buffy smiled to herself as she watched her fellow Slayer drink from her latte in the cup. She couldn't remember when Faith had started drinking the stuff. She wouldn't have picked Faith for the latte type. Buffy picked up her own cappuccino and continued to watch the other woman. Faith finally noticed Buffy' gaze on her.

"Look, as much as I know I'm hot B, will you quit staring at me? It's giving me the wiggins"

Buffy smiled. "Sorry. Just trying to figure out how you got into lattes"

Faith laughed. "God only knows. Not jail, I can tell you that much now"

Buffy just shook her head in wonder. "I honestly don't know why you went back their Faith. I really thought you would've jumped at the chance at freedom. Especially when you have Robin."

"Yeah I know. Wood was the one who told me I should go back. He said he'd rather live with a free woman rather than a fugitive. I supposed he was right. Can't be hiding forever now can we? Gorgeous babe he is though. Visited me all the time. Thank God for good behaviour paroles but. So now I can enjoy lattes"

Buffy laughed back. "I'm sorry I couldn't visit you. Rome just isn't a driving distance from Linda Yorba."

"That's alright. Rome's a pretty busy place. Besides, you wrote. That was cool. though, gotta say, had the impression letter writing wasn't exactly your biggest strength."

"No, not really. Didn't get the time back then. You know, all that slayage. Besides, what would I have written to you years ago when you first went in? Dear Faith,

Today I killed an icky monster. And last night some icky, dusty vamps. Not much else. By the way, thanks for sleeping with my boyfriend. Love Buffy"

Faith looked at her. "Thanks B"

Buffy gazed back. "I'm sorry. At least I had more interesting things to write recently."

"Oh sure. How could Italy not be exciting? Are the Italian demons any different?"

"Yeah, they try and talk more seductively out of the fight"

The two girls laughed again.

"Actually, the letter I can't believe still is the one you sent to me about Spike being alive again." Faith said. "Ain't anyone we know stay dead?"

"A few. But yeah. Isn't it wild? I couldn't believe it myself until he turned up on my doorstep." Buffy told her, looking outside the cafe window. "Didn't realize how happy I'd be to know he was still around. He told me about the battle. Poor Wesley"

Faith followed her gaze. "Yeah." she murmured. "Have you heard from Angel?"

Buffy turned back to her. "No I haven't. Spike lost sight of him in the battle. It's been too long Faith. He would have come to me by now. He wouldn't have stayed away unless..." she broke off.

"You think he's dead?"

"Maybe. But for some reason, a little part of me refuses to believe it. I want to see him Faith. I need to know. And for all I do know, he might be dust amongst the earth."

"Maybe he found you, saw you hanging with Spike, figured he didn't have a chance with you and left you to live your life." Faith suggested.

Buffy stirred her coffee "You think? So why hasn't he called? Or anything? Let me know he still exists."

"Look B. The guy loved you more than anything in the entire universe, but he also thought that you should be happy"

"Knowing what's happened to him would make me happy. Unless, he's dead of course."

Faith finished off her coffee and stood up. "I'm getting another one. You want another?"

"Nah, It's OK. I'll finish this one first"

"Ok, I'll be right back"

"Hmmm..." Buffy took a sip from her cup and let her memories of Angel wash over her. It always amazed her how clearly the pictures were in her head. It had been almost ten years, and she still remembered that night so well. And everything before then, and everything after that. She sometimes felt guilty at how her thoughts and memories of Angel were so crystal clear, and yet now, some of the ones of her mother had gotten fuzzy. Poor Spike. He had offered to stay with her. No strings attached. he had accepted that while Buffy was happy he was around, cared for him a great deal, even loved him, but now in the way she loved Xander maybe. She didn't really love him with that special part of her heart. It had always been with Angel. Wherever he was.

Faith returned to their table and set a plate in front of Buffy. "Thought you might like something to eat. Plus, it came straight out of the oven just now. So yummy."

"Thanks Faith." Buffy looked down at the giant cookie on the plate. It was still warm. She broke off a piece and put it in her mouth.

"Hmm. Chocolate chip." she could feel the chips melting rapidly. Yummy. It was delicious.

'And if someone wants to eat-enjoy warm delicious cookie me, it's fine. That'll be then. When I'm done.' 'Any ideas on who would...do I have to go with the cookie analogy?'

Buffy swallowed the cookie and smiled.

"What? Great isn't it?" Faith said.

"I have an idea. And I'm done" Buffy whispered.

"Huh? What?"

Buffy looked at Faith "I'm done baking"

---

Spike watched Buffy and Faith across the road. Even on these LA streets, with a lot of people walking past, he could still see her. The man beside him was looking at her as well.

"How's she been?"

"She's done mate." Spike replied. "She's done being the Slayer. I reckon she only sees herself as just a slayer. One of a whole lot. She's happier about it. She was excited to go shopping with Faith today. Even if there are any baddies, there are others to take care of it now. Not that she's lost any of her touch."

"What does she do now?"

"She councils at her old high school here"

"Hemery?"

"Yeah. She saved some of the kids lives and did the whole 'you can talk to me, I won't hurt you' thing. She's pretty good at that"

"Yeah, she is"

Spike looked at him. "Why don't you just let her know? She might be happy with her life now, but I damn well know she'd like it better if she knew about you"

"She doesn't deserve me. She should be happy. Complete the normal cycle she has going for her now. Find someone else. I shouldn't have bugged her about Riley. He was good for her"

Spike snorted. "Military boy? Don't think so. He left her. Who'd do that? Didn't even have a reason."

"He thought she didn't love him..."

"Well there you go. We saved her from being with a stupid prat."

"I left her"

"Yeah I know. But you had a reason. And it didn't stop you from coming back and checking up on her" Spike rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "What am I saying? What's wrong with me?"

Angel turned to him and smiled. "Yeah William. Don't tell me you've gone soft on me now"

Spike sneered at him. "Shut up"

They continued to watch her across the road, eating a cookie. Angel had a wistful look on his face.

"What Peaches?"

"It's chocolate chip"

"So?"

"I wonder if she's done"

"Done what?"

"Baking. I wouldn't want her to go stale."

"Stale? Buffy? What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing"

"OK then. And they thought I had an insane streak"

Angel smiled again without comment. He watched as Buffy finished off the last of the cookie. Faith sat across from her, laughing, and Buffy had a grin on her face.

Spike dropped some quarters and a piece of paper on the table in front of Angel.

"Call her you ponce. Here's her cell number. There's a pay phone over there" he said, jerking his head to the corner of the store. Angel looked at the coins and then at Buffy, who was just about on the pavement outside the cafe.

"Angel then he fell off the thing. It was so hilarious. For me that is. He had to get 14 stitches" Faith was telling her. Buffy laughed.

"And here I thought Robin was so co-ordinate"

She opened the door and was instantly in with a whole heap of people on the LA sidewalk. But even with so many people, the feeling of being watched engulfed Buffy.

"What B?" Faith asked, noticing the look on her face.

"I don't know. I think..." she looked across the street, inside a little store, just through the window, she spotted Spike, who was watching her and Faith. "That someone's watching us" she finished and waved at Spike. She grabbed Faith and together, they ran across the road to the other side. Buffy didn't see Spike's small look of panic, it was gone by the time the two women walked in and went over to him.

"Following me?" Buffy asked.

"And if I am?" Spike smiled.

Faith and Buffy sat down and Buffy realized that there was an empty seat next to Spike, and it had been pulled out.

"Hey Spike, who-" her phone started ringing in her Prada bag, a gift to her from the Immortal a few years back. Buffy held a hand up. "Just a sec" she said before fishing her phone and standing up then walking away a few steps. She flipped the cell open. "Hello?"

---

Behind the cereal aisle, Angel held onto the phone in one hand and listened to her voice. He peered through the boxes and stared at her. This was the closest he'd been to her in so long. Her blonde hair was sleek and shiny, and Angel had an urge to run his fingers through it. And then touch her clear, soft skin on her face, and everywhere else. Feel that mouth beneath his. So much. He placed the phone back on the dial box. He turned and walked out the back door.

---

Buffy looked out the store window. She refused to hang up. There was no breathing on the other end f the line. But she knew. There was something so familiar about this. And he was still there. Then she heard the beeping of the dial tone. He was gone. Buffy swung around and noticed a pay phone behind the cereal. She saw nobody. She went and sat back down at the table. She kept staring at the seat. Like he was coming back. Spike didn't look at her, but Faith saw her face.

"B?"

Buffy turned Spike to face her. "Tell him I'm done. And I don't want to keep waiting Spike. Tell him I'm done. You understand me?"

Spike looked into her eyes. Finally. "I think he already knows, luv. He doesn't think you deserve him"

"What? He thinks he's too good for me?"

"No! No. The other way around."

Buffy let go of him. "How long have you known William?"

Spike winced at his original name. "A little while. But I promised him that-"

"I don't care! Since when did you do things for him? You just wanted me all to yourself didn't you?"

"No please Buffy? I'm sorry"

"I'll bet you are. And tell him-"

"No. He already decided alright? I've already tried to tell him, he didn't listen"

"Of course he didn't listen to you. Fine." Buffy breathed deeply. "Fine then."

Faith put a hand on Buffy's arm. "At least you know now."

Buffy faced her. "It's not enough. Spike, please tell him to come back. I need him. Please find him. I don't want to go-"

"Stale?" Spike finished for her. "He said that. He was worried about that. He also said he was sorry about Riley"

Buffy looked at him. "Yeah well, I'm not. It happened. It's over. Good while it lasted, and it didn't, and I don't really care about that anymore. Damn, it, I still want Angel okay? I love him. He makes me happy. As weird as it is, he was the only person that made any sense to me. I don't know why he left me. Ok, yeah I do, but. Wherever he is, you're going to get him for me and tell him that if he loves me, he'll come back."

"Buffy, why don't you just do as he says? Go find a nice, normal guy who'll grow old with you?"

"Because Angel is my soul mate. He owns me, and I want him to. Forever."

"He'll have forever. You don't. That's why he's doing this."

Buffy knew he was right. Knew in her gut. But in that moment, she didn't care one bit.

"I want him to be there when I die. I want his face to be the last thing I ever see before I go. For good."

Faith was staring at her. "B" she murmured, then turned to face Spike herself. "You heard her. Go!"

Spike stood up. "No. " and he walked away, and out the back door of the store into an alley, where next to the door, Angel was leaning against the wall. Spike looked at him.

"I hope you heard that. Because I don't care to repeat it."

"Yeah, I heard."

"Well? What are you still doing here?" Spike said before walking away.

Angel opened the door and walked inside until he could see Faith and Buffy. Faith was trying to console Buffy, who was sniffling.

"C'mon B. Don't be crying" he heard. And it hit him hard.

"Please Buffy. Don't cry."

Buffy and Faith both turned around at the sound of his voice. Buffy's eyes were wet with tears, but she still looked so beautiful. She jumped and ran to him and held onto him tightly.

"I'm done. I'm done." She told him.

"I know, but-"

"No. No buts. Just stay with me. It's been too long. Please Angel? Don't leave me again. I need you."

"But you'll age, and I won't. And I'll love you forever. I'll watch your face become even more beautiful every day, love you more with each passing minute and wish I could be like you"

"It's better than wishing I was with you. You can have me. You'll never know how much I sometimes wished I was like you"

"Buffy!" Faith said, shocked.

Angel looked down at her. "No. I don't ever want you to be like me. It's too hard. You wouldn't be you"

Buffy shook her head. "I know. But sometimes, I used to wonder what it would've been like for us if you had turned me, and maybe Will could've put my soul back in. But I also knew you wouldn't have let yourself be happy with me. Then I thought about how it might've been like without my soul. And I know you're right. But to just be with you. You make me feel more alive when you're round."

"And I felt so lost when you were near" Angel replied. "I love you Buffy, but I don't want you to-"

"Stop. I will always love you. We can do this. Even if you're still here when I'm gone, I'll always be with you. I need you. And I know you need me too, so quit arguing with me. Just kiss me."

Angel didn't argue. He kissed her. Slowly at first, like it would be their last, or even their first. And he deepened it. Faith smiled at them.

"You know, I kinda prefer shortbread cookies myself"

Buffy and Angel pulled apart. "Way to interrupt a romantic moment Faith" Buffy smiled at her, saw Faith smiling back, and then turned back to Angel. She stared into his eyes.

"She tastes perfect. Baked just right." Angel said.

"Happy?" Buffy asked him.

"Yes. I swear I won't leave you again. I promise"

"Good." And Buffy kissed him again.


End file.
